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Emerald Park

Ashbourne, Ireland

“Ireland’s only major amusement park”

It’s known for lush green landscapes, Guinness, whiskey and a national holiday that’s celebrated far beyond the country’s borders. Ireland is anything but huge and it has a rather small population, but Irish culture and exports are literally world-famous. Yet, roller coaster enthusiasts had very few reasons to visit this country until 2010, as it didn’t have a major theme park. Fortunately, this changed with the opening of Tayto Park, which was later renamed to Emerald Park. The park is currently home to six roller coasters, which is 66 percent of the country’s total number (according to the Roller Coaster Database). Pretty impressive, isn’t it?

ROLLER COASTERS

Arriving visitors are welcomed by The Cú Chulainn Coaster, which was placed right next to the parking lot. Its unusual name refers to a war hero from Irish mythology. Decoration is limited, but Cú Chulainn certainly does not disappoint when it comes to the ride experience. This is a wooden roller coaster of considerable proportions: it’s 32 metres tall, almost 1,100 metres long and it reaches a top speed of 90 kilometres per hour. The ride features an incredible first drop and some very fast twists and turns. Many of the turns remain low to the ground, allowing the train to race through them at a high speed. The layout also contains an overbanked turn, several airtime moments and two tunnels. Besides, I’m pleasantly surprised by the ride’s comfort. Cú Chulainn has that typical woodie rattle, but it’s not painful at all. So honestly, I consider this as one of Europe’s best wooden roller coasters.

Emerald Park first appeared on many roller coaster enthusiasts’ bucket list in 2015 thanks to the opening of Cú Chulainn. Nine years later, the park is making another attempt to score international attention with Tír na nÓg. This is Emerald Parks newest area and it was named after the Land of Eternal Youth from Irish-Celtic mythology. The land is home to two brand-new roller coasters manufactured by Vekoma. The first one is called The Quest. This is a Junior Boomerang and its most striking feature is a near-vertical spike that was integrated into a castle tower. The ride experience turns out to be relatively predictable. I’m positive about the consistently high speed and the smoothness, but the layout is (too?) simple. And uhm… May we quietly say that Europe has more than enough Junior Boomerangs nowadays?

Have you been to Erlebnispark Tripsdrill during the past few years? Then you may know that a Junior Boomerang becomes more valuable if you combine it with a Suspended Thrill Coaster. Volldampf and Hals-über-Kopf make a delightful pair, and Emerald Park has a similar couple of coasters on offer. The largest thrills are provided by Na Fianna Force, a burgundy-coloured inverted coaster. If you love Hals-über-Kopf, you’ll certainly love Na Fianna Force. The first drop is just as good and the smoothness is just as remarkable. Yet, there are some points of difference as well. This Irish version contains two surprising zigzagging sections and it has ‘only’ two inversions. Speaking of those inversions: they’re great, but I regret the fact that Vekoma often seems to be opting for zero-g rolls, corkscrews and inline twists in its modern coasters. Na Fianna Force could feel a bit more balanced if one of those inversions was exchanged for a vertical looping or dive loop, if you ask me. This is obviously just a minor issue and all in all, Na Fianna Force is incredibly enjoyable and re-rideable.

Emerald Park’s lineup is completed by three family-oriented coasters. We’re talking about Ladybird Loop (an 8-shaped spinning coaster by SBF Visa), Flight School (a Zierer Force model similar to Flying Eagle at Legoland Billund) and Dino Dash, a Vekoma family coaster with some elaborate Jurassic theming.

WATER RIDES

One of the best themed attractions at Emerald Park is Viking Voyage… and they seem to be proud of it. The park’s website even states that the theming of Viking Voyage was done by companies that previously worked for Disneyland and Game of Thrones. The most striking elements are an 18-metre-tall mountain (which, unfortunately, isn’t in great shape during our visit) and several replicas of Viking ships, all integrated into a dense forest. The attraction itself is a flume ride with three drops, one of which is backwards. The first drop in particular is quite special, as this turns out to be a double down with a built-in bend. By the way… the ride is soaking wet for most riders. So if you decide to embark for this expedition, I’d recommend putting on a raincoat or poncho before boarding.

OTHER EXPERIENCES

It’s not unusual to see roller coasters and animal exhibits in one single park. And if that concept is successful in Ypres, Orlando and Kolmården, it must work in Ashbourne as well? The Emerald Park Zoo has been there since the early days of the park and it remains a major attraction. Its offerings range from farm animals and primates to cats in all shapes and sizes. In addition, a remarkable amount of attention is paid to birds of prey, as there are an incredible number of different species to admire. Despite the wide range of animals, I must say that the atmosphere in this part of the park is far from ideal. In fact, the Emerald Park Zoo doesn’t seem to be quite up to current standards. You’ll find most of the animals in simple enclosures and their space seems limited. Besides, there is hardly any decoration. So please don’t expect an Irish version of Disney’s Animal Kingdom here.

Thrill seekers shouldn’t head to the Emerald Park Zoo, but they’ll sure find something to their liking near the park entrance. This area (right next to Cú Chulainn) is home to four different swinging and twisting flat rides. The tallest one is The Rotator, an inverting Frisbee built by the SBF Visa Group. Air Race, Power Surge and Endeavour were provided by Zamperla, and Emerald Park didn’t even bother to come up with a more original name. Theming is nonexistent, so this area feels like a cheap carnival.

WORTH A VISIT?

Despite its young age, Emerald Park offers a strong lineup. The park has two excellent roller coasters and some great family attractions. However, we noticed that this young park is still searching for its own identity. Emerald Park started out as a medium-sized zoo with some unthemed rides. Nothing too spectacular, but more than sufficient to attract visitors in a country without competition. With recent expansions, however, the park paid considerably more attention to decoration. Tír na nÓg, for example, was designed with a clear vision and it’s clever that the theming pays homage to the park’s home country. If Emerald Park can deliver more such achievements (and possibly a dark ride) in the future, I will happily return!

What’s your favourite roller coaster at Emerald Park? Does Ireland deserve more theme parks? Share your opinion in the comments section at the bottom of this page.

This article reflects my personal experience at Emerald Park during a visit in August 2024.